投资条约仲裁制度改革的中国选择

投资条约仲裁制度有利于投资者保护,但其也存在易于导致东道国与投资者权益保护失衡等问题。中国应顺应国际上的改革大势和潮流,从实体规则和程序规则两个方面对投资条约仲裁制度进行改革,采取包括维护东道国的管理权、缩减仲裁庭自由解释条约的空间以及加强缔约国对条约解释的控制权等措施,以确保其能平衡保护投资者与东道国的权益。欧盟倡导的投资法院制度虽然对争端当事人的意思自治有一定的限制,但是能纠正投资条约仲裁制度的某些重要缺陷,中国可考虑在与欧盟的双边投资协定谈判中探索接受并改进这一制度的可能性。

China’s Reform on Investment Treaty Arbitration System

The investment treaty arbitration system is conducive to investor protection, but it also has some defects that may lead to the imbalance between the host country and investors on rights and interests protection.China should follow the general trend of international reforms, improve the investment treaty arbitration system from both substantive and procedural rules, and adopt measures to protect the rights and interests of investors and the host country evenly,including safeguarding the regulatory power of the host country, reducing the space for the arbitral tribunal to interpret treaties freely, and strengthening the control of the contracting parties over the interpretation of the treaty.Although the investment court system advocated by the EU has certain restrictions on the autonomy of the parties in disputes,it can correct some important defects of the investment treaty arbitration system. China may also consider the possibility of accepting and improving this system in the negotiation of bilateral investment agreements with the EU.